Dealer Joe’s and Aldi are solely separate grocery chains with distinctive identities, however they share an intertwined and intriguing historical past — one which begins in post-war Germany and hinges on a household cut up over whether or not to promote cigarettes. 

The outcome was two corporations, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd, which now function as unbiased grocery empires. In the US, that cut up reveals up in an sudden means: Aldi Süd runs Aldi shops throughout the nation, whereas Aldi Nord owns Dealer Joe’s.

It’s a connection that surprises many patrons, particularly given how completely different the shops really feel. One has fewer frills and leans into discounted fundamentals (plus some German staples), whereas the opposite focuses on thrilling flavors and ready-to-eat gadgets.

The Aldi story begins in Essen, Germany, in 1913, when the daddy of two brothers, Karl and Theo Albrecht, opened a small baked items store. Their mom, Anna, opened a grocery retailer a 12 months later. As soon as Karl and Theo returned residence following World Battle II, they took over the household enterprise in 1945 and started constructing a grocery chain that prioritized a small, curated number of merchandise, minimal overhead, and persistently low costs.

In accordance with Aldi Nord’s archived firm historical past, after the brothers opened their first self-service retailer in Essen-Schonnebeck, they expanded quickly, reaching 100 shops in North Rhine-Westphalia by 1955. In 1961, they formally cut up the enterprise: Karl took the south, and Theo claimed the north, establishing two separate corporations now often known as Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord.

The explanation behind the cut up was by no means made public. Through the years, publications together with The Guardian and The Houston Chronicle have pointed to a falling-out over cigarette gross sales as the reason for the break — extra particularly, that Theo was in favor of promoting them and Karl wasn’t. 

The cigarette dispute is by far probably the most generally cited cause for the divide, though it has by no means been confirmed by the Albrecht household, Aldi Nord, or Aldi Süd. Given the household’s longstanding dedication to privateness — neither brother gave a media interview after the early Fifties — the complete story behind the cut up has remained out of view. However one factor is evident: they did not agree about how one can run the enterprise.

Immediately, the 2 corporations function solely independently and haven’t any formal connection. Aldi Süd runs all Aldi-branded shops in the US, the place it first entered the market in 1976. The corporate lists the U.S. amongst its eleven worldwide markets, and its American web site, aldi.us, displays the group’s world branding. 

Dealer Joe’s, in the meantime, has been owned by the household behind Aldi Nord since 1979. In accordance with Dealer Joe’s FAQ, the corporate has no enterprise or possession relationship with Aldi Süd and isn’t linked to its U.S. shops.

Although the 2 chains share a give attention to private-label merchandise and minimal retailer design, they’re distinct companies with separate sourcing, management, and technique. The following time you stroll right into a Dealer Joe’s, you’re technically moving into the area of Aldi Nord — an organization that, regardless of its identify, performs no function in working Aldi shops within the U.S.

Should you’re in Germany, which retailer you go to — Aldi Nord versus Aldi Süd — shall be decided just by the place you might be within the nation. Within the U.S., be at liberty to select the chain that most accurately fits your wants. One is a vacation spot for no-frills groceries, the opposite for cult-favorite snacks and frozen finds, and we occur to be followers of each.